Landlord responsibilities in the UK for 2024

Landlord responsibilities: what you need to know in Kent’s competitive market

Kent may be home to a competitive rental market, but as a landlord in the local area, are you up to speed on the latest laws and responsibilities required to rent out your property successfully? If you’re considering marketing your rental, you’ll want to get up to speed on the essential legal responsibilities required as a landlord.

Care about standing out. If you want to get noticed amidst the growing property market, know your area inside out and the demographic of people looking to rent. Kent is always worth the investment due to its enchanting scenery, excellent schools, transport links, and more. Learn more about how to manage your property and get it snapped up by credible tenants.

Stand out in a crowded market.

How Landlords Can Keep up with trends

It’s not just the legal obligations that matter. It’s all about knowing what prospective tenants want, subject to the area and what’s on the market elsewhere. Your home could offer something simple but charming, like more original period features or a bigger garden compared to the rest of the street. However, you could also have implemented features or materials that are more environmentally friendly or cost-saving.  Could you attract more tenants through a smarter, more energy-efficient home?

Think ahead about any economic or environmental forecasts that could have an impact on your property. If you stay ahead, you’ll save yourself stress and money in the future! Plus, you’ll have factored in what tenants want ahead of time giving yourself and your property a competitive advantage compared to the competition.

It’s all about keeping up with the trends, maximising your home to save money for you and the tenant, and leaning into the wants and needs of who’s likely to move in. Don’t think solely about the here and now. Do some research into long-term trends in order to retain your tenants and stand out in a crowded market. A good example of this at the moment is the drive for houses to offer as many energy efficient options as possible. helping to save the tenants money. Offering an EV charger (which currently has a grant available for renters or flat owners), solar panels or a heat pump can again help to make your property standout and should help you keep much longer term tenants who enjoy the benefits of lower cost energy bills while renting from you and would are reluctant to move to somewhere not offering these benefits.

What matters most to prospective tenants?

Are curious renters looking for somewhere to take in their beloved pets, or do they care mostly about good transport links or schools? Market your home in a way that sells the best of your property and the surrounding area. This way, you’ll engage with your ideal tenants, and they’ll be impressed by what’s on offer. You’re showing that you understand the greatest parts of your home as well as Kent, which will make tenants feel confident about moving in. At TN Lettings, we’re local rental specialists who know all there is to know about Kent’s rental market and what’s to come in this marvellous county. So we can point you in the right direction.

Upgrade your property

Home improvements are only a good thing. They don’t need to be anything drastic like an expensive extension. It can be as simple as updating the kitchen tiles, giving your home a lick of paint, or replacing the windows.

Just like we make decisions about people as soon as we meet them for the first thing we are the same when it comes to property. Making a good first impression is everything and a prospective tenant can really fall in love with your property is seconds if they feel the owner takes a lot of pride in looking after it. Think about what will improve the look and feel of your home, minimise bill costs, and appeal to renters.

Home Accessibility

Is there a way in which you can make your home more inclusive and accessible for people living with disabilities?  Simple things like corridor widths, flooring choices, improving the driveway or bathroom features can help widen the opportunity for a range of tenants looking for accessible homes. Over the long term you never know what sort of tenants you may have so opening up your home to be as accommodating as possible in the long run can really pay off.

Landlord essential responsibilities

Now, we’ve checked off keeping up with trends, observing the market, upgrading your property, and connecting with your target demographic. It’s time to get into the nitty gritty of the legal and financial responsibilities that come with being a landlord.

These 10 tips will help you maintain a good relationship with tenants, giving you the peace you need when renting out your home. Plus, these pointers will prevent you from incurring any unwanted fines or penalties that could happen if you aren’t up to speed on certain rules and insurances. It’s all about creating a smooth transition for tenants and ensuring you know your home is protected.

1. Make sure your home is safe and liveable.

Make your house feel like a home. Even before you receive any repairs and maintenance requests from tenants, landlords should prioritise the upkeep of their homes so that they they’re in good condition. Keeping your home maintained ensures that the value of your home stays put or increases.

Don’t sleep on any mould, poor ventilation, irregular heating, or other harmful outstanding problems. You’re only going to affect the living conditions (putting off your ideal tenants) and the property’s potential. This also looks negative to any potential viewings as it’s a bad first impression!

2. Repairs and maintenance

There are certain things that the tenant and landlord are responsible for. As the landlord, you’ll need to upkeep and pay for any structural or exterior problems associated with the home. Plus, you’ll need to keep on top of any heating/plumbing, water and gas fixes. See more here.

3. Health and Safety

As the landlord, there are 3 key responsibilities for a safe home that mean you’ll meet the following health and safety standards.

1. Yearly gas safety checks: This should be arranged every 12 months with notice to the tenant. A gas safety check looks at any gas appliances to see if they are safe to use. Importantly, these checks prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
2. Electricals should be fit for use: This includes things like wiring, fuse boxes, light fittings etc. These should all be tested by a qualified electrician.
3. Provide smoke alarms: The gas and electricity should be professionally assessed, and working smoke alarms should be provided in the home.
4. Legal compliance: You may be aware of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which is one piece of the puzzle when it comes to providing a safe and secure tenancy. When renting your home, it’s important to be aware of any changes in the law or rules that affect what you can and can’t do as a landlord.
5. Permissions and registration: Do you have a mortgage on your property? If yes, you’ll need to chat with your lender to check whether you can let your home out or not. Once approved, you’ll need to register your property to give more information about you and your home.
6. Financial management: Get your numbers in order so that you can keep track of all your expenses, property taxes, income, and profit. It’s a good idea to keep a nest egg for any spontaneous repairs or big tax bills.
7. Tenant referencing: A simple credit check and background debrief can help you understand more about the tenant moving into your home.
8. Sort your inventory: Move around your home methodically, starting at the front door. You’ll want to note down the property’s condition, take any appropriate meter readings, check the alarms, and photograph anything key that could crop up later. This keeps it fair for both you and the tenant to understand what’s wear and tear and what was there from the off.
9. Deposit protection: Sign up to a DPS as a way of protecting the deposit. This way, it’s held impartially and keeps everything in order.
10. Ending a tenancy and eviction: Both the landlord and tenant should follow the right, legal process in order to end a tenancy. The tenant should receive written notice and the way in which the tenancy ends may differ due to the tenancy type and contract.

TN Lettings

We’re here to help you stand out and we know the TN postcode inside out. After all, it’s about keeping up with property and lifestyle trends, deeply understanding the area you’re marketing, and positioning your home in a way that appeals to your target demographic.

Contact us today to get your home listed and to maximise your property’s potential.